


love thy neighbour

by toffeelemon



Series: Crazy Rich Gaysians [3]
Category: Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Crazy Rich Asians Series - Kevin Kwan
Genre: Boarding School, Gaysians, Hot Neighbour Trope, M/M, Plot What Plot, You are welcome, mehmet again!, teenage disaster gay nick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 11:45:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18468289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toffeelemon/pseuds/toffeelemon
Summary: Nicholas Young is just a closeted gay Singaporean boy trying to mind his own business in school. He definitely doesn't have a crush on the boy in the room next to his in the boarding house.





	love thy neighbour

**Author's Note:**

> read golden boys first or else this makes no sense! 
> 
> stupid self indulgent piece of some asian boys being silly and gay

_ Nick is startled when he hears the kitchen door click, turning around surreptitiously. It’s yet another Sunday that he slept in till one in the afternoon and missed lunch, now trying to conjure something up with his limited cooking skills without getting caught. It’s not that they’re not allowed to make food for themselves whenever during the weekends - they are in a house full of teenage boys who are always hungry, after all - but it’s frowned upon and Nick doesn’t need the housemaster to know that he skived Sunday service again. (If only his supposedly Anglican family could see him now - Nicholas Young really should be a good Christian.) _

_ “Oh, it’s just you,” Nick sighs in relief as he watches a familiar face peep into the kitchen. It’s Mehmet, the Turkish boy in his year whose room is next to Nick’s. They’re not in the same friendship group per se, but Mehmet is considered a friend - enough of a friend for Nick to not feel to sheepish about his degenerate lifestyle being exposed, anyway. Nick resumes his uneventful stirring (it’s just noodles - he doesn’t really have to do anything with it, Nick just likes to fool himself into believing that he’s competent in the kitchen), pretending to be minding his own business and not starring too much at Mehmet. Mehmet however, has different plans as he saunters towards where Nick is at the hob, instead of leaving the kitchen after retrieving a banana. _

_ “Indomie again? You know that if you dash to the dining hall right now, lunch might still be open right,” Mehmet teases as he watches over Nick’s scrawny shoulders, torso hovering behind Nick’s. Nick tries not to blush as he let out an undignified squawk, refusing to look at Mehmet as he concentrates very, very hard at the task at hand. _

_ “This is easier lah,” Nick argues weakly, as he lifts the pot out of the hob to drain the noodle, still set on avoiding Mehmet’s amused judging gaze. Mehmet laughs heartily at that, happy crackles bubbling as he steps away to prop himself on the table, legs swinging and kicking beneath him. _

_ “Sure, lah,” Mehmet teases, and Nick rolls his eyes at himself, sighing in defeat. He pretty much has picked up a flawless British accent by now, having been in boarding school for three years - but sometimes his Singlish still slips, and Nick hates it. (His mother hates it even more, claiming that ACS is a bad influence and Nick should’ve gone to an international school in the first place. Well, at least Nick is actually in school in England now.) Mehmet isn’t actually mean about it, he just thinks it’s endearing. But Nick is hardly amused. _

_ “That’s not how you…” Nick’s retort die in his throat as he caught sight of Mehmet smirking back at him, conveniently with a peeled banana in his mouth. Nick almost drops his entire noodle into the drain as he splutters (as quiet as he could to himself) and tears his eyes away, trying to wipe that incriminatingly suggestive vision. Nick only has himself to blame - curse him for having such a dirty mind. Mehmet only caught Nick pouting at him before ignoring him again. Nick doesn’t think Mehmet knows what effect he has on Nick. Nick really hopes Mehmet doesn’t. _

_ So what, Nick might have a moderate crush on Mehmet, it’s nothing serious. Nick has pretty much admitted to himself that he is gay, after a few years of chewing on the idea. His best friend back home, Colin, has been very helpful about it (not in that way, obviously), giving Nick space and never pressuring him into a closet. It is frustrating though - Nick feels like a bubbling pot of raging hormones all the time, especially being closeted in an all boys boarding school. Most of the time Nick feels like he basically has a crush on every single boy around him - Mehmet is hardly special. Granted, Mehmet is cute - with his bushy, expressive eyebrows and deep set brown eyes and tan skin and a mischievous smile. And Nick infuriatingly sees him around all the time, now that their rooms are right next to each other for the year. So naturally he would be one of the objects of Nick’s affection. It really doesn’t help that Mehmet is a little shit who likes to reduce Nick into an embarrassed mess, poor gay soul or not. God, Nick can’t wait till uni when he can finally, hopefully take out all his repressed teenage sexual frustrations.  _

 

_ Nick hears the knock when he’s devouring his very, very sad Indomie on his desk and sitting towards the wall, being very antisocial (as usual). Nick pushes his window open and calls out casually. The knock didn’t come from his door - it was Mehmet knocking at the thin wall between them, the one that Nick is staring at right now. It’s Mehmet’s stupid method of communication instead of texting or getting up from his own room to find Nick like literally any other normal human being. It works though, and is way more efficient, so Nick tries not to feel too stupid when he hears Mehmet’s voice travelling from one window to another. _

_ “Hey! Nick! Do you have your copy of Great Gatsby with you? I forgot and left it in my locker at school,” Nick can practically hear the apologetic but not really poke of tongue expression that Mehmet is sporting right now, and rolls his eyes at his neighbour’s antics. _

_ “Yeah, I think I do. I don’t know where I put it though, I’ll come over when I’ve found it,” Nick calls out, after a quick peer at the mess of a room behind him. He isn’t really keen on Mehmet walking in right now. _

_ "Okay! Thanks Nicholas!” Mehmet replies cheerfully, before slamming his window shut, deeming the conversation over. Nick stares at the wall blankly as he imagines Mehmet sitting at his desk opposite him, beyond the wall, eyebrows screwing up adorably as he tries to write his essay in mild confusion. Nick is too nice to him - he definitely is going to take his time eating before fishing out the goddamn book for Mehmet. _

 

_ Mehmet’s room smells of spices and aftershave. And he dares to chastise Nick for eating in his room when they’re not supposed to - Mehmet’s room literally smells delicious. Nick stands awkwardly at the door for a second, deciding to just walk in without an invitation when Mehmet made no move to come meet Nick at the door. Nick walks towards Mehmet’s desk, where he is chewing on his pen intently and almost ignoring Nick in favour for staring at a mostly blank piece of lined paper - Nick feels a bit silly standing barefoot in someone else’s room. (Nick might be messy, but he refuses to wear shoes in his room. He’s not a savage.) Mehmet looks up at Nick, gives him a megawatt smile, neat white teeth and all, and brushes Nick’s fingers as he receives the book. Nick’s heart skips a beat.  _

_ “So, how is your essay coming along?” Mehmet asks before Nick can turn to leave. Nick answers, leaning against the side of the table as he chatters, giving into being Mehmet’s distraction from homework. Mehmet must be set on putting off the essay as long as possible - Nick almost wants to remind him it’s due tomorrow - he hardly lets the conversation dwindle into awkward silence, and eventually Nick humours him as much, glancing around the room and picking up things to talk about. Nick doesn’t come into Mehmet’s room often - which is weird, considering how they only have a wall between them. _

_ Which brings them to where they are now, Nick having since propped himself up on Mehmet’s desk imposingly, after standing uncomfortably against the corner for too long, and Mehmet walking back towards him, after replacing the figurines that he plucked from the shelf over his bed for some show and tell. Nick swings his legs lightly, looking around to find an intriguing photo of Mehmet grinning into a front facing camera, cheek to cheek with a pretty girl next to him. It is a cute photo. _

_ “Who’s that? Your girlfriend?” Nick teases, pointing at the photo. Mehmet stretches his neck a bit to see what Nick was referring to, before settling back into the wall, standing opposite where Nick is sitting on the edge of the desk.  _

_ “Nah, not anymore,” Mehmet says, almost emotionlessly. Nick lowers his hand like he’s been burnt, grimacing sheepishly. _

_ “Oh. Well, you’ll find someone else,” Nick shouldn’t have brought it up. He always sounds so obviously empty when it comes to talking about relationships - he is hardly the best actor when it comes to acting straight. He can’t believe that he just dug himself his grave, yet again. _

_ “How about you? Got a girlfriend?” Mehmet perks up in interest, steering the focus away from himself. Here it comes again - Nick’s demise. Nick shrugs uselessly, trying to convey that he doesn’t and yet is desperately enough for one so he would pass as straight. Obviously, Nick does a poor job of it, as usual. _

_“What? Girlfriends aren’t really your thing_ ? _ ” Mehmet laughs incredulously, teasing light and friendly. Nick never really quite know how to respond to that. _

_ “Uh, I guess not,” Nick says stupidly, ruffling his hair in nervousness and trying to look everywhere but at Mehmet right before him. He hopes he doesn’t blow his cover - Nick doesn’t know how obvious he is, but no one really ever suspects to the point where he has to actively deny being gay. That’s a perk in being the quiet Asian boy, he supposes. People assume you’re asexual anyways - not Mehmet though, apparently. Although Mehmet is also kind of Asian - the handsome and popular type though, Nick curses to himself. Suddenly Nick is blushing and avoiding Mehmet’s gaze, with one eyebrow teasingly raised and a perfect playful smirk and one single dimple on display - Nick hopes he can play it off as being embarrassed by talking about girls. _

_ “What **is** your thing then?” Mehmet challenges further, and Nick feels his throat close up. Quick, he needs some dumb answer to divert - video games, whatever - but Nick looks up and is rendered speechless instead. Mehmet is looking at him with that shit-eating grin again, eyes intentional under those long batting eyelashes - it’s like he definitely knows. When Nick doesn’t answer right away, Mehmet takes it upon himself to push himself off the wall and step closer, right in front of Nick where he can satisfyingly watch Nick gulp uncomfortably under his gaze. They are almost same height, but with Nick sitting on Mehmet’s desk and Mehmet towering over him, it’s a good inch difference.  _

_ Nick thinks Mehmet is literally stealing his oxygen from standing this close. The air suddenly feels charged with electricity, the question hanging unanswered as Nick clutches the table uselessly on either side of him, holding Mehmet’s challenging gaze and trying not to back down from it. **Boys** , Nick screamed in his head as Mehmet smirks at him, stance casual with his hands tucked in the pockets of his jogging bottoms. Boys are Nick’s thing, boys like Mehmet who has a pretty face and a taunting grin and are almost always asking to be shoved around playfully for the stupid things they say (Nick doesn’t give in - he doesn’t want to be tempted into letting his fingers linger on Mehmet’s shoulder.) _

_ Mehmet’s lips (that smirk, Nick hates it so much) part slightly, as if he was going to say something else. Nick’s eyes flutter down for a split second at the movement, getting distracted. Mehmet closes his mouth again without saying anything - and when Nick quickly snaps his eyes back up, before he gets caught, Mehmet is already staring at him with a glint in his eyes. Nick panics - although Mehmet’s gaze seems less daring now, warm, almost, an eyebrow raised ever so slightly in confusion. Nick breathes shallowly. He wonders if Mehmet caught on to his little secret. That Mehmet could make him stop breathing with the tiniest of gestures. _

_ Mehmet pulls his knobbly hands out of his pockets and gently place them on either side of Nick’s, shifting even closer and effectively trapping Nick. Nick freezes when Mehmet’s thumbs lightly (and intently) brushes against his hands, eyes fleeting everywhere and pointedly avoiding Mehmet’s intense gaze. Nick’s poor gay soul wants to flee - he can smell Mehmet at this distance, a familiar mix of the deliciousness of the room and the school detergent. Mehmet leans even closer(!), fortunately (or not) moving towards the side of Nick’s head, as if he was going to whisper something in Nick’s ear. Nick stays still and obliges - at least Mehmet wasn’t going in for a kiss that Nick so wildly imagined only a split second ago. _

_ Mehmet does kiss him. It lands square on the underside of Nick’s jaw, Mehmet having to tilt his chin to get right at into the spot. No one has ever touched Nick there - the skin is smooth and warm and now, tingling after Mehmet’s peck. When Nick doesn’t bolt (he is in shock, after all), Mehmet’s hands brazenly latches onto Nick’s to hold him steady.  _

_ Mehmet moves slowly to look at Nick again, who is gaping and blinking dazedly at him, even more lost for words than before. One of Mehmet’s hands reach up to touch Nick’s cheek, touching the spot that he just kissed. Nick blushes, face burning and paralysed by how Mehmet’s dazed expression seems to be matching his too. Mehmet’s thumb runs across Nick’s bottom lip, softly prying at it, and Nick scrunches his eyes close and sigh shakily at the contact. _

_ Mehmet kisses him for real this time. Square on the lips, before tugging and parting Nick’s lips slightly. A little squeak dies in Nick’s throat, and his free hand wails around for a bit before clutching at Mehmet’s waist, pulling him closer. Mehmet shifts until his chest is bumping at Nick’s, his torso bracketed by Nick’s knees, which are wobbling a bit and holding him in place. Nick is inexperienced but eager, chasing after Mehmet like his life depended on it. Mehmet tastes like tea with four sugar cubes in it (he never takes any less), and for a distracting moment, Nick wonders does he taste like his disgusting lunch, but all thought is abandoned as Mehmet reaches to mindlessly stroke up and down Nick’s thighs.  _

_ Mehmet hooks an arm under each of Nick’s legs, trying to do that sexy thing and lift Nick off the desk, and epically fails as Nick trips and collapses uselessly against Mehmet, their lips still messily latched together. Mehmet overestimated himself - he is hardly much less skinnier than Nick. Nick giggles stupidly, still drunk from the frenzied kisses, before being manoeuvred by Mehmet to sit into the side of Mehmet’s bed, shoulders crashing at the wall as he landed. Nick absently thinks about how that isn’t the wall they share when Mehmet urgently climbs on after him, straddling his lap in the process. Before Nick could say anything, Mehmet was back - he melts against Mehmet and arches into the kiss. When they draw apart for a quick breath, Mehmet is panting at him, eyes dark and slightly lost, his loose shirt tugging at the collar slightly to reveal collarbones and a few ribs jutting out his skinny torso and an infinite expanse of skin. Nick impulsively noses at the crook of his neck, kissing softly before becoming fixated and biting at Mehmet lightly. Above him Mehmet is letting out a shaky sigh.  _

_ Suddenly there is a loud knock at the door, shocking both of them out of their reverie and before they know it, they - _

 

Nick wakes up with start, jumping at his phone mercilessly ringing next to his ear. He sighs, flopping onto his back to stare at the ceiling blankly. He blindly reaches for his phone, holding it above him to turn the alarm off, and drops in onto his chest.

He can’t believe that he dreamt about making out with his neighbour from boarding school - Nick might have lived a lot of scandals but almost never self conjured one - he is almost embarrassed by the dream. And then Nick is groaning, sinking into his pillow - he can’t believe he didn’t get to finish the dream, being so rudely interrupted before it even got to the good part. Nick would be embarrassed by his gay fantasies, but he’s also like, thirty years old and already disowned by his family, so he is way beyond being bashful anymore.

Before Nick decides to drift off to sleep again, his phone chimes on top of him. It’s a text from Mehmet. Right, they are supposed to meet for brunch in Soho later, it’s their fourth date now. Nick smiles - he almost forgets he’s dating Mehmet now, after being obsessed with him since forever (and spending many years in denial). He should really get out of bed before he gets yelled at for being late. Nick figures some things never change.

**Author's Note:**

> * long gay sigh *  
> this literally has no meaning or substance except that i am being a gay mess and need ! to ! vent !  
> inspired by my actual malay neighbour who is sending me into gay overdrive - hot and pretty and cute accent and smart and oxbridge degree and will make you chinese soups, you get the jist, crazy rich asian fantasy in gay hell  
> she needs an actual dedication in this fic series really when i eventually write about bi astrid - i am actually crushing on a real life "str8" girl who got converted by catholic therapy at hwa chong after a lesbian scandal ... how much more crazy singaporean can this get (also, she's totally not str8 right. i still have a chance right. pls)  
> i am dying please send help


End file.
